• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.450-457
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• 2018

To design the practical core-shell electrocatalysts, combination of core and shell materials is important to meet catalytic activity and durability target. In general, Pd is considered as a good core material due to its best activity caused by strain/ligand effect. Preparing Pd nanoparticles can be a starting point in fabricating core-shell type electrocatalysts, much simplified Pd preparing process is suggested by using carbon monoxide (CO) as a reducing agent and/or capping agent. The solvent composition and reaction temperature can control to nanosheet, tetrahedron, and sphere without using additional stabilizer. Among them, Pd nanosheet which has mainly (111) plane showed about 3 times higher electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to the spherical Pd nanoparticles. The enhanced ORR activity of Pd nanosheets can be attributed to the exposure of Pd (111) surface and the high electrochemical surface area. Therefore, we demonstrated that the shape of Pd nanomaterials is easily controlled via a facile reduction method using CO, and (111) plane-oriented Pd nanosheets can be a promising ORR catalysts and core material for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs).

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.440-445
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• 1995

The chemical compositions and stability constants, thermodynamic parameters for the neodymium(Ⅲ) complexes of substituted benzo-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclopentadecane(B15C5) have been determined by spectrophotometry and conductometry in methanol solution at various temperatures. As substituents, CH3, Br, CHO, NO2, and 3,4-(NO2)2 were used. In methanol solution the ratios of neodymium(Ⅲ) to the ligands in the complexes are 1 : 1. The stability constants were increased in order of B15C5-3,4-(NO2)2 < B15C5-NO2 < B15C5-CHO < B15C5-Br < B15C5 < B15C5-CH3. This observation can be explained in terms of the substituent effect. The order of stability constants was dimethylsulfoxide < acetone < acetonitrile in solution and the magnitudes were found to be inversely proportional to the solvents donicities. These results could be understood in terms of solvent basicity, ligand basicity, solvation of the cation, and entropy changes of complex formation.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.762-770
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• 2011

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) plays a core role in bone reformation by antagonizing the effect of receptor activator of nuclear factor ${\kappa}$-B ligand (RANKL), and mediates vascular calcification in cardiovascular disease patients. Thus, we aimed to examine the relationship between serum OPG levels and cardiovascular factors and inflammatory markers in metabolic syndrome patients (MS). This cross-sectional study included 96 men who visited the diet clinic between May and July 2011. Patients were classified into 2 groups based on NCEP-ATP guidelines: normal and with MS (n = 50 and 46, respectively). Physical measurements, biochemical assay were measured. Serum OPG and IL-6, diponectin and hs-CRP were assessed. MS were aged $50.02{\pm}10.85$ years, and normal patients $52.07{\pm}9.56$ years, with no significant differences. Significant differences were not observed in BMI between the 2 groups. Moreover, significant differences were not observed in serum OPG, however, the serum OPG level ($4.41{\pm}1.86pmol/L$) differed significantly between an overweight MS (BMI > 25) and normal patients. OPG was correlated to age (r = 0.410, p = 0.000), HDL-cholesterol (r = 0.209, p = 0.015), and log adiponectin (r = 0.175, p = 0.042). Multiple regression analyses using the enter method showed that age (${\beta}$ = 0.412, p = 0.000) and BMI (${\beta}$ = 0.265, p = 0.000) considerably affected OPG. In conclusion, out study showed that serum OPG levels are correlated with cardiovascular risk factors, such as BMI, HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin in MS and adiponectin, suggesting that serum OPG has potential as a cardiovascular disease indicator and predictor.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1303-1309
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• 2012

A novel ligand N,N'-(2,6-pyridinedicarbonyl)bis[N-(carboxymethyl)] (L1) was designed and synthesized. Four co-luminescence groups of Sm-La-pyridyl carboxylic acids systems were researched, which are $K_4Sm_{(1-x)}-La_x(L_1)Cl_3{\cdot}y_1H_2O$, $K_4Sm_{(1-x)}La_x(L_2)Cl_3{\cdot}y_2H_2O$, $K_6Sm_{2(1-x)}La_{2x}(L_3)Cl_6{\cdot}y_3H_2O$, $K_4Sm_{(1-x)}La_x(L_4)Cl_3{\cdot}y_4H_2O$. The results indicated the addition of La(III) could sensitize the luminescence of Sm(III) obviously in a certain range, enhancing emission intensity of Sm-pyridyl carboxylic acids relative to the undoped ones. The optimal mole percentages of La(III) in the mixed ions for $L_1$, $L_2$, $L_3$, $L_4$ were confirmed to be 0.6, 0.5, 0.3, 0.6, respectively. The mechanism of the fluorescence enhancement effect was discussed in detail. Furthermore, the binding interaction of $K_4Sm_{0.4}La_{0.6}(L_4)Cl_3{\cdot}5H_2O$ with bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been investigated due to its potential biological activity. The binding site number n was equal to 1.0 and binding constant $K_a$ was about $2.5{\times}10^5\;L{\cdot}mol^{-1}$.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1165-1169
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• 2012

The fluorescence intensity of DNA-intercalated ethidium with [ethidium]/[DNA base] being 0.005 was quenched upon the binding of another intercalating ligand, meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (TMPyP). Addition of $Ca^{2+}$ enhanced the quenching efficiency. The range of separations between donor and acceptor molecules, within which total quenching occurs, was calculated using a one-dimensional resonance energy transfer mechanism to be 9.5 base-pairs or $32.3{\AA}$ in the absence of $Ca^{2+}$ ions. The distance increased to 18.7 base-pairs or about $63.6{\AA}$ in the presence $100{\mu}M$ $Ca^{2+}$. Considering that (1) $Ca^{2+}$ had little effect on the binding modes of ethidium and TMPyP, which was investigated by reduced linear dichroism and (2) spectral overlap between the emission spectrum of ethidium and the absorption spectrum of TMPyP was maintained in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$, contributions from orientation factor and spectral overlap to $Ca^{2+}$-induced enhancement in DNA mediated energy transfer was limited. Although there is no direct evidence, electron transfer along the DNA stem may accompany the observed fluorescence quenching. In this respect, DNA bound $Ca^{2+}$ act as a partially conducting medium.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.335-344
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• 2006

Osteoblast or bone marrow stromal cell-derived RANKL is the major effector molecule essential for osteoclastogenesis. Previous studies have shown that tetracyclines have beneficial therapeutic effects in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory bone disease including periodontal disease. Periodontal ligament cells are thought not only to play an important role in the progression of periodontal disease, but to play an important role in alveolar bone remodeling. Previous studies indicated that receptor activation of nuclear factor $\kappa\;B$ ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are expressed in periodontal ligament cells by pro-inflammatory cytokine, such as $IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$. This study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect of doxycycline on RANKL and OPG mRNA in rat periodontal ligament cells induced by $IL-1{\beta}$ (1 ng/ml). The results are as follows; 1. MTT assay showed that doxycycline at the concentration of $1-50\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ didn't result in statistically significant cell death at day 1 and 3. 2. RANKL mRNA expression was increased to 2.6 folds by $IL-1{\beta}$. When cells were treated with doxycycline ($50{\mu}g/m{\ell}$), $IL-1{\beta}$ -induced mRANKL expression was reduced by 33%. In contrast to RANKL, OPG mRNA expression was not inhibited by pre-treatment with doxycycline. These results suggest that doxycycline decrease the expression of mRANKL resulting in regulation of osteoclastogenesisp in rat periodontal ligament cells.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.293-296
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• 2005

Transferrin ($T_{f}$) has been used as a targeting ligand for delivering liposome/interleukin-12 (IL-12) pDNA complexes to cancer cells mostly due to the greater number of transferrin receptors ($T_{f}R$) found on tumor cells than on normal cells. $T_{f}$ was conjugated to liposomes via the reaction of MPB-PE with thiol groups of $T_{f}$ introduced by a heterobifunctional cross-linking agent, N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP). Four days after C26 inoculation when the tumor volume reached ${\sim}100mm^{3}$, tumor-bearing Balb/c mice were injected intravenously with $T_{f}-liposome/IL-12 pDNA$complexes twice a week for 3 weeks. Significant suppression of tumor growth was achieved in the group treated with the $T_{f}-liposome/IL-12 pDNA$ complexes, with a dose of $10{\mu}g$ of IL-12 pDNA showing the highest suppression effect among the tested doses. Similar results were obtained when the therapy was initiated one day after tumor inoculation, although in this case $30{\mu}g$ IL-12 pDNA/$T_{f}-liposome$ complexes showed a significant suppression of tumor growth between 19 and 23 days after tumor inoculation. This result indicates that the transferrin receptor-targeted liposomal system is an efficient delivery agent of therapeutic genes, such as IL-12, in mice and that its potential clinical use warrants further research investigation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2020

Background: Gintonin (GT), a novel ginseng-derived exogenous ligand of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptors, has been shown to induce cell proliferation and migration in the hippocampus, regulate calcium-dependent ion channels in the astrocytes, and reduce β-amyloid plaque in the brain. However, whether GT influences autophagy in cortical astrocytes is not yet investigated. Methods: We examined the effect of GT on autophagy in primary cortical astrocytes using immunoblot and immunocytochemistry assays. Suppression of specific proteins was performed via siRNA. LC3 puncta was determined using confocal microscopy. Results: GT strongly upregulated autophagy marker LC3 by a concentration- as well as time-dependent manner via G protein-coupled LPA receptors. GT-induced autophagy was further confirmed by the formation of LC3 puncta. Interestingly, on pretreatment with an mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, rapamycin, GT further enhanced LC3-II and LC3 puncta expression. However, GT-induced autophagy was significantly attenuated by inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine and knockdown Beclin-1, Atg5, and Atg7 gene expression. Importantly, when pretreated with a lysosomotropic agent, E-64d/peps A or bafilomycin A1, GT significantly increased the levels of LC3-II along with the formation of LC3 puncta. In addition, GT treatment enhanced autophagic flux, which led to an increase in lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 and degradation of ubiquitinated p62/SQSTM1. Conclusion: GT induces autophagy via mTOR-mediated pathway and elevates autophagic flux. This study demonstrates that GT can be used as an autophagy-inducing agent in cortical astrocytes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.4 s.71
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• pp.641-646
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• 2005

An approximately 10-fold higher level of adherence of Salmonella typhimurium strain TML to Int-407 cells was observed with organisms grown in Luria broth or in high-iron containing medium than those grown in low-iron containing medium. Iron specifically enhanced adherence, while other cations such as calcium, cobalt, copper, potassium, magnesium and manganese did not. It was suggested that iron did not act as a passive ligand - probably it stimulated production of bacterial factors necessary for adherence. A similar pattern of iron modulation of adhesiveness was also seen in Salmonella mutants with single or different combinations of multiple mutations in genes encoding the mannose sensitive hemagglutinin (type 1 fimbriae), mannose resistant hemagglutinin and flagellum. The adhesiveness of an isogenic fur mutant was modulated by iron in a manner similar to the wild-type strain, suggesting that iron modulation of adherence is independent of the fur gene product.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.244-248
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• 2011

Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) (PPE) was synthesized by oxidative polymerization using various Cu(I)-amine catalyst system. The effects of catalyst/monomer ratio, different amine ligand, and the content of 2,4,6-trimethylphenol (TMP) additive on the polymer yield and molecular weight were investigated by using gel permeation chromatography. The catalytic activity of various Cu-amine systems on the 2,S-dimethylphenol (DMP) polymerization was monitored and compared each other through oxygen-uptake experiment. In addition, the effect of catalyst removal using aqueous EDTA on the thermal stability of the prepared polymer was elucidated by thermogravimetric analysis.